Support Bedford Budget and School Board Incumbents

To the Editor:

The state of our public schools, as that of any other institutions, certainly leaves room for improvement. To my knowledge, no one is claiming that they've reached a state of perfection. However, the vision of our schools offered by some of the people running for seats on the Board of Education is grossly distorted and must not go unchallenged.

If all we had to evaluate the schools were the descriptions provides by these critics, a distracted public could be forgiven for assuming that the board of education, the administration, teachers and parents are doing nothing while the system if crumbling all around us. Nothing could be further from the truth: the curriculum is being scrutinized, subject by subject; the district's finances have been gone over with a fine-toothed comb and significant savings have been achieved this year., for the first time ever, each school building in the district has in place a team of administrators, teachers and parents and community members empowered to initiate substantial change.

This is hardly the static, self complacent and fossilized state of affairs described by the nay Sayers. One could perhaps forgive their exaggerations. They are, after all, running for office and a certain amount of hyperbole can be attributed to the eagerness of their pursuit. But their negativity is so relentless as to render them totally unsuitable for a seat on the board.

Mr. Philip Christe, for example, claims that he "disagrees with just about everything the administration does." His view of the public schools isn't any better: as of next year, his children will be in private school. Not surprisingly, he thinks the use of vouchers should be considered. One wonders what kind of advocate for the public schools such a person could be. Mr. Joseph Giardina, an outright proponent of vouchers, finds nothing wrong with running for office on a promise of 0% school budget increases for the forseeable future. This irresponsible vow could only be achieved at the expense of educational programs, but Mr. Giardina is not one to quibble over such details. His paramount concern is cutting taxes, even at the expense of our children's education.

As a voter, I am tired of the kind of simplistic bromides that pass for public discourse. As a parent, I expect a higher level of understanding of public issues from those running for the board of education. Our schools need neither a blank check nor a blind endorsement. They need constructive criticism, hard work, creative solutions to difficult problems. These can only come from people with a sense of balance and moderation, a quality sorely lacking in this year's challengers. Not surprisingly, I'll be voting for the incumbents.

Rosa Portell  

District Shill and People for the American Way Member
Pound Ridge

To the Editor:

On May 3, the residents of the Bedford Central District will be asked to vote on the school budget for the 1995-96 school year. I urge everyone to vote in favor of this budget.

The administration and board of education should be commended for their diligent efforts in presenting a budget that continues to provide quality education for our young people. Ample opportunities have been provided for residents to voice their opinions in regard to the provisions of this budget. Both the administration and the board have been sensitive to the feelings of the community and have responded positively to what they have heard.

I would also like to endorse the reelection of the incumbents, Deborah Ellis Timberlake, Joe Letersky and Burt Solomon. Over the years, I have had the privilege of serving with these candidates on the board. I hold them in high esteem for their integrity, dedication and deep sense of duty and commitment, They have served the students of this district in an exemplary manner.

Each of these individuals has maintained an open mind when listening to the concerns of community members. Their decisions have always been based on what was in the best interests of the students they serve.

The incumbents have made significant contributions to the enhancement of the educational program of this district. Each deserves to once again have the opportunity to serve on the board of education.

Wayne G. Engle Pound Ridge

Former School Board Member whose child  went to private school

To the Editor:

On May 3, Bedford Central taxpayers have the annual opportunity to directly influence next year's school tax rate by passing or rejecting the proposed school budget.,We can vote yes and allow a slight increase, or we can vote no and shoot it down.

The money that we send in for school taxes comes directly back to us in the form of high quality public education. Of course, good schools affect how our children are prepared for college and life. A good public school district also reflects favorably in our property values and quality of life.

Voting against this year's modest school budget increase will not make a statement about taxes to our legislators - this vote doesn't
affect any of the money that disappears in Albany and Washington. Voting against the budget will -Just short-change our community. Voting against this budget isn't taking a shot at high taxes - it's just shooting ourselves in the foot.

Steven Gruskin Mount Kisco

Don't let nay-sayers undermine schools

The battle for the soul of the Bedford Central School District enters a new and dangerous phase with the upcoming election on Wednesday. The stakes are high: three seats on the Board of Education, the 1995-96 school budget, and the preservation of our tradition of local representation on the school board. I'm afraid that most parents and other citizens are unaware of the importance of these elections to the Bedford community.

Since the defeat of the school budget two years ago, Bedford Central School District has been under attack by fiscal conservatives who seek to discredit the schools. These nay-sayers have created a climate of mistrust, which undermines those who seek to educate our children. We need a climate of mutual respect and trust, in which educators and citizens can work together to solve our problems.

As citizens, we need to be clear about the results of our vote. Defeating the school budget will not bring anybody tax relief. The savings realized by an austerity budget amount to pennies a day. Defeating the budget does have real and immediate effects on the quality of education in Bedford. If we defeat the budget, our children will get fewer services because there will be less money.

Vote yes for the budget, yes for the proposition and yes for Joe Letersky in Bedford, Burt Solomon in Bedford Hills' and Deborah Timberlake in West Patent, These dedicated and experienced incumbents deserve our respect and our support.

- DAWN SANGREY, Bedford Hills

Another District Shill